Murphy details Competition Committee’s Indy agenda

Posted by Mike Florio on March 2, 2014, 2:09 PM EST

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The NFL’s Competition Committee launches into its busiest period of the year every February, with meetings at the Scouting Combine aimed at identifying the potential rule changes to be recommended for owners in March. Typically, only bits and pieces of the agenda are publicly disclosed, via a smattering or reports based on on-the-record quotes or off-the-record leaks.

Packers CEO Mark Murphy, who joined the Competition Committee in 2012, has made the process easier for everyone. In his monthly column at Packers.com, Murphy revealed everything the Competition Committee discussed in Indy.

Here’s the full list of the rules considered for potential changes in Indianapolis, according to Murphy:

5. Taunting and fighting penalties, to ensure players are treating each other with respect.

6. The point-after touchdown, which could be eliminated.

7. Playoff expansion, which would add a No. 7 seed in each conference, eliminating the bye for the No. 2 seed in each conference.

8. The instant replay system, which could be adjusted to mirror the college system (where the replay official makes the decision) or to adopt the NHL’s approach of centralized review.

The Competition Committee has reconvened in Naples, Florida to finalize a list of proposals that will be made to ownership during the league meetings later this month. Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay typically conducts a media conference call to identify and explain all proposals before the league meetings commence.

If you want to stand in the pocket like a traditional QB you get protected. If you want to be part QB/part RB put on some muscle and get ready to have your clock cleaned.

ez4u2sa says:Mar 2, 2014 2:41 PM

There’s only a few things on this list which need to be addressed. Leave the playoffs alone. There is a rule against taunting. Enough already with all the changes as to who can be hit where and how. It’s amazing that the NFL has to spend this much effort changing the rules every year.

ghost26 says:Mar 2, 2014 2:41 PM

Every single one of these changes are bad news for the game. Goodell is gradually taking the heart out of the greatest sport in the world b/c he doesn’t have one. Goodell wants a soft, two-hand touch league where everyone has love in their hearts for their opponent BUT continues to generate moremoney. He’s as greedy as the owners which is why they LOVE him.

One thing I give him credit for is that Goodell doesn’t underestimate the stupidity of people. At the end of the day as long as there are people who still buy jerseys & go to games he can make all the changes he wants to. At some point, when the game is unrecognizable & becomes as irrelevant as the NHL or the NBA we’ll look back to the mistakes he made. At least we’ll still have baseball right???

How about the most obvious thing that should be changed….. allow challenges for ANY play…. especially pass interference. How much longer does the NFL want to cheat teams by not allowing complete BS calls to be reversed?

JSpicoli says:Mar 2, 2014 2:45 PM

#9 — Finding a way to design a vagina into the NFL logo

jimmysee says:Mar 2, 2014 2:53 PM

When the game gets too bogged down with dorky rules, a new football league will emerge.

In order…
#1 – Makes sense. Defensive guys need to keep their knees intact from this.
#2 – REALLY? Enough with QB protectionism.
#3 – Makes sense
#4 – What? Are we just going to put flags on the WR’s waist?
#5 – Make the rules more punitive for those who instigate fighting.
#6 – Leave it alone or make it more attractive to go for 2
#7 – STOP ADDING PLAYOFF TEAMS. That is one part of the NHL/NBA I can’t stand that has NO place in NFL
#8 – Make replay go to NFL HQ in NYC. Keep refs like Jeff Triplette AWAY FROM THE SCREEN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!

How about we start calling the holding/illegal contact that all the DB’s are getting away with!! (seattle)

ghost26 says:Mar 2, 2014 2:55 PM

‘5. Taunting and fighting penalties, to ensure players are treating each other with respect.’

OMG…This is so pathetic. Treating opponents w/ respect??? This is so we can have MORE players like Jonathan Martin. This commissioner is such a cissy & the player’s union are not any better. Less pratice? No two a days? Maybe more injuries than ever. No wonder why the level of play has suffered.

Maybe we should start letting women work out at the combine? That should not only make the game more inclusive but more fun for everyone right??? Now women can cheer for their favorite female Kickers!!! My guess is that Goodell will do ANYTHING to make more money.

milkcan44 says:Mar 2, 2014 3:31 PM

#3 “hands to the face” penalty.

Can another reader explain to me why they allow running backs or wide receivers to snap back a defenders head with a stiff arm?
Seems just as dangerous as any other player doing it.

1. You won’t be able to hit QB’s at all. Defensive play is continually being de-emphasized.
2. No one can trash talk. (Football has a psychological element, and trash-talking, I think, is part of that. Mental toughness is a part of the game.)
3. Kicking (field goals and kickoffs) will no longer be a part of the game.

Now, I ask you, if things go the way they are heading, and all these changes get made…. is the resulting game still “football” or something else?

At some point, it won’t be “football” to me anymore, and I’ll just stop watching.

Assume all of these rules changes actually happen. Imagine the game we watch and hopefully some of us play. It wouldn’t be football. Goodell is terrible. Like the other guy said, the only good things he knows how to do is to do this stuff without people getting too mad.

And this read option QB rule??? How stupid.

Pls excuse my last comment. It accidently sent before I could even finish the word assume.

Whelp, sounds like the league continues to keep adding rules up for subjective review by unqualified bozos.

Instead of adding, modifying or reconsidering rules, perhaps the NFL’s “Competition” Committee should address how these rules are consistently applied.

Us NFL fans need to know what is holding (both offense & defense), pass interference and illegal contact among the other rules up to subjective interpretation. Not whether a QB is still a QB in a run-option offense or cleaning up the game by penalizing “disrespect”.

Make the replay like college. No more challenges. Every questionable play should be reviewed like in college. Coaches shouldnt be penalized for incompetent refs and have to waste challenges becuz the refs blow

melikefootball says:Mar 2, 2014 6:11 PM

Lets see you can’t hit a receiver high so now they want to make it you can’t hit them low. This rule should get the fines up.

You should have spent it on your education – which they really could have needed.
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Have someone re-read the post to you. Murphy is the Packers’ CEO, not the owner. And the stock certificates cost $250, not $500.

Then, have an English teacher read your last sentence , but stand back because he’s gonna puke.

In Green Bay, we don’t care about the rules. We are special, the refs know it and give us the calls we need to win.

dabubble says:Mar 2, 2014 9:14 PM

Every post on here that includes anything related to the Packers is infested with classless Vikings fans comments. The average Bears fans are tolerable to an extent…they provide colorful commentary when they invariably lose to the Packers, BUT they’ve at least won ONE Super Bowl at least…

Oh, it’s January 17. We picked that date commemorates Anderson’s wide left FG miss in ’99. Everyone walks around town kicking ginger colored footballs to the left of field goals placed all over the fair grounds. No one misses “kick a ginger day”!!!